The Farmplate Blog

Brother and sister Allison and Alphonzo Cross were recently highlighted in a great interview in Grist. In the interview, the siblings describe how they decided to open an extraordinary corner store – one that sells local and sustainable fare – in a rapidly changing neighborhood of Atlanta.

The Boxcar Grocer just opened this week, and though the community has been supportive of the Cross’ endeavor, the journey taken by these two food movement newbies was anything but easy. Allison and Alphonzo faced a number of challenges during the two years it took to realize their vision. Banks weren’t lending, food movement insiders were dismissive, and it took lots of legwork to find the best combination of inner city and rural farm products to sell.

Here are a few of the inner-city farms where they source:  Truly Living Well, Metro Atlanta Urban Farm, HABESHA Works, and Patchwork City Farms.

Read on for more on this fascinating addition to the food justice and healthy corner store movements.  

“Alison Cross and her older brother Alphonzo saw a vast need for fresh food in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood of Atlanta, where they’d spent time since they were kids. The community, which is adjacent to the Atlanta University Center, had seen both vibrance and decay, and was begging for transformation.

So the siblings decided to fill that need, and hatched a plan to open The Boxcar Grocer, a new food business. Alison, who studied architecture and worked as a video editor, and Alphonzo, with a background in fashion, describe the independent grocery store, which stocks local, organic, whole foods, as being at 'the intersection of food justice and high-concept retail.'

And they’re right; it’s not your average corner store…”

Read more here > 

Be sure to "dig" The Boxcar Grocer on FarmPlate to show your support for Allison and Alphonzo's new, healthy corner store!